Shopsmith turning comfort

[burkhome]

I am currently trying to turn newell posts to finish a pine staircase I built. Not enough capacity on shopsmith to turn in one piece so I am turning a tenon on one end to be attached to square base. Problem is in order to hold the chisels low enough to get shearing action I am in a very uncomfortable stooping position making control a major problem. Anyone else delt with this. Thought about building a platform to set the shopsmith on. Put the project on hold till I can solve the problem.

[JPG]

The 'problem' as I see it is the need to get close to the tenon, but the larger girth of the post will not allow that with an 8" tool rest.

Brain storming for sure, but could you get a shorter tool rest closer with the help of also extending the quill(or does length prevent that?)?

[jbooher]

One of the draw backs of using a Shopsmith as a lathe is that it is too short. Making a platform to fix your comfort level is the solution.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I have blindly stumbled upon a solution that works for me, so far. Now mind you, I have done only a handful of small turning projects to date, so my "solution" may be worthless in general.

When my father-in-law passed away, he left behind an old-fashioned electric organ. The kind with four rows of keys and paddle switches, and discrete transistors, each the size of a large pencil eraser. And boy, was it big. It still sorta worked, but we couldn't find anyone who would take it for free. So it went to the dump.

But the organ bench looked like it should be useful. I hauled it home, thinking it would make a nice long workbench stool. Bad idea. It is too long, low, and unwieldy for that, requiring frequent kicking out of the way.

But the SS is on the other side of the bench, and I park my posterior on the bench when doing lathe turning. That works great for me; I can easily scoot back and forth on the organ bench the full length of the workpiece. So instead of raising the SS to my height, I lower myself to it's height and take a load off my feet.

[burkhome]

Sounds like a lesson in physics...I actually got rid of one of these a few years ago...Oh well, shop space is so tight that I would be mean mouthing the bench every time I had to move it to do something.

[dusty]

Raise or Lower the Shopsmith to position it where you are comfortable.

I have been seriously thinking about taking the legs off of my Mark V and setting it down on a pedestal built to to a height that would position the saw table top where I would like to have it.

If it was only a table saw, that would already be done.

The problem is that all the other functions change position. I am unsure if I would like the sanding disk, the drill press, the lathe, etc in their new position.

Adjustable Legs??? How to build adjustable legs - that is the question.

[claimdude]

Raise or Lower the Shopsmith to position it where you are comfortable.

I have been seriously thinking about taking the legs off of my Mark V and setting it down on a pedestal built to to a height that would position the saw table top where I would like to have it.

If it was only a table saw, that would already be done.

The problem is that all the other functions change position. I am unsure if I would like the sanding disk, the drill press, the lathe, etc in their new position.

Adjustable Legs??? How to build adjustable legs - that is the question.

I remember seeing plans for a work bench that utilized scissor jacks and used a battery operated drill to raise and lower. Seems like he had it set up so that you raised and lowered both legs from one bolt on one end. That set up would be ideal. I am 5'6" and the table saw is about an inch too high for my liking. I have had my SS since 1984 and am just now getting to type where I feel like I can spend the majority of the limited shop time I have doing shop upgrades rather than working on projects, hence all my questions on adding an OFT to my SS. Which, BTW, I ordered the final two pieces I needed to move forward on that project. I am going for the angled support version with a lot of Dusty ideas plagiarized but with some different materials. One of the driving factors on my OFT is convenience and the SS brackets would just hinder usage as it would require too much time to install and take off and no convenient way to get it out of the way without removing it. The hook shaped brackets that Dusty made out of aluminum angle is the ticket. Dusty, would you direct me to where you posted the sketchup rendering with measurements that you uploaded at the forum please?

Thanks Dusty!

[dusty]

I remember seeing plans for a work bench that utilized scissor jacks and used a battery operated drill to raise and lower. Seems like he had it set up so that you raised and lowered both legs from one bolt on one end. That set up would be ideal. I am 5'6" and the table saw is about an inch too high for my liking. I have had my SS since 1984 and am just now getting to type where I feel like I can spend the majority of the limited shop time I have doing shop upgrades rather than working on projects, hence all my questions on adding an OFT to my SS. Which, BTW, I ordered the final two pieces I needed to move forward on that project. I am going for the angled support version with a lot of Dusty ideas plagiarized but with some different materials. One of the driving factors on my OFT is convenience and the SS brackets would just hinder usage as it would require too much time to install and take off and no convenient way to get it out of the way without removing it. The hook shaped brackets that Dusty made out of aluminum angle is the ticket. Dusty, would you direct me to where you posted the sketchup rendering with measurements that you uploaded at the forum please?

Thanks Dusty!

Here it is. The only measurement that are critical is the size and separation of the two holes for the extension tubes. You will need to do some customizing (rounding off of corners, etc) to achieve form/fit. This is not a one item fits all design.

[ATTACH]21184[/ATTACH]

Word of Caution:

If you are going to utilize a diagonal support, there is one CRITICAL measurement -- the pivot line from the Main Table. The top end of that diagonal support must be located so that the end of that support is located in the same vertical and horizontal plane as the trunnion pivots. The slightest deviation will cause the OFT to depart from its' intended plane when you tilt the table.

If you get it right, the OFT and the Main Table will remain in the same plane throughout a tilt maneuver. I "finally" got it right.

Anyone building something like this needs to move slow and deliberately throughout the process. For example: when done, you want the OFT to be just a little bit below the main table height. This prevents the work piece from snagging the edge of the table as it passes from main table to the OFT. The thickness the OFT itself then becomes critical and cannot be predetermined UNLESS the brackets are precise.

[claimdude]

Thanks Dusty! Here is the scissor jack lift plans I was talking about. Don't know why the base on this workbench couldn't be attached to a SS after removing the legs.

http://www.jack-bench.com/workbench%20p ... videos.htm

BTW I am probably going to order a set of these plans for myself (for SS and for a remake of my workbench. There a significant discount if I order 2 or 3 sets of plans so if anyone else wants a set and wants to share in the discount let me know. I will likely order next week sometime.

Thanks
Jack

[keakap]

Raise or Lower the Shopsmith to position it where you are comfortable.
...Adjustable Legs??? How to build adjustable legs - that is the question.

A voice in mah haid is screaming "hydraulics!"

Ever watch a house be lifted? Dozen or so hydraulic jacks placed strategically (funny how that word looks some like "tragically") and connected to 1 source pump. Flip a switch.

'Course with the Mark V all you'd need is one jack per end, tucked away in the inside of the new legs...